At Christmas, how do you explain to your 11-year-old granddaughter why her pet horse, Sis, died when you don’t even understand it yourself.

Dina called me Monday evening as I was driving to a meeting in Madelia. “Mom, Sis died...” A big gasp of air was inhaled as shock settled in. I didn’t know what to say except “What happened?” According to Dina, Sis was fine in the morning when Bryce went to do chores and she was outside in her pen when Dina came home from bringing the kids to school. Nothing to lead her to believe that by nightfall Sis would be gone.

At suppertime, Bryce again went to do chores and Sis was laying in the barn already lifeless. No explanation of what happened.

So how do you tell Jalyn her favorite pet and friend is gone? With as much love and compassion as possible to an 11-year-old. Even still, she cried for hours wondering, of all her pets, why did it have to be Sis that died?

It’s Christmas and it’s supposed to be happy and jolly, but for Jalyn a cloud has come over her holiday.

Monday night I had a talk with Dad and asked him if he could please take care of Sis in heaven for Jalyn and love her as much as Jalyn does. As I fell asleep, a Christmas peace fell over my exhausted body and I knew there were heavenly arms holding and protecting me while I slept keeping the demons of the day away.

I saw Jayln on Tuesday night for her school Christmas program. She was there and she smiled and sang and played her clarinet, but the Christmas sparkle just wasn’t in her eyes or her devilish grin.

When her program was done, I gave her a big hug and told her how much I loved her and what a great job she did in the program.

I wish you all a Christmas Peace, and hope you feel the love of Jesus Christ our Savior.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11